Tip



March 1 8, 1930. w. A. VOLLMER TIP Filed April 10, 1924 WZ/mm J. %ZZme7;

' Patented Mar. 18, 1930 UNI D STAT WILLIAM A. vormvrna, or KENOSI-IA,"WISGONSI1\T, 'ASSIGNORVTO snvnvrons 'coMrenY.

or xnnosna, Wisconsin, A CORPORATION" on DELAWARE r u I TIP,

Application filed. April 10,

This invention relates to tips or casters and sockets for mounting the same in or on the legs of chairs or other "articles of furniture and has for its primary object to provide a 5 device of this character which is strong and durable in construction, attractive in appearance, and may be cheaply and economically. manufactured: w V

The many other objects and advantages of my invention will be better understood by reference to the following specification when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating certain selected embodiments thereof, in which g V v Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the tip. or caster. I 1

. Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views of the tip or caster shown in Fig. 1, illustrating an eco- I nomical method of making the same.

Fig. 4 is an elevation of the tip or caster and socket. V I

Fig. 5is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4:.

' -Fig. 6 is a section on the line "66 of Fig.4..

Fig. 7 is an elevation of the tip or caster mounted in a modified form of socket.

Fig. 8 is the same as Fig. 7, bottom plan view, and a I v I Fi 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 7. r

split end as at 16. The pad or.

cushion 13is preferably centrally perforated as at 17 In assembling the tip, the cushion is placedin the shell and the fastener inserted as in Fig. 2. A tool, as 18, having a wedge shaped end is then inserted in the perfora-tion 17 and forced against the split end of the fastener, spreading thesame,-as indicated in Fig. 3. The prongs" of the fastener Referringto the drawing and -particularly 1924. Serial No. 705,451.

are embedded in the body of the cushion and supporting surface when the cushion f 13 isworn away, thereby permitting the article to which the tip-is attached, to be slid'acrossf such 'surfacewithout scratching or marring the same, even though the cushion member is no longer effective to support the article.

As shown in the drawings, the flangeis preferably bent so as tfo form an outwardly facing convex surface (but any smooth, cornerless surface, that is,any surface free fromsharp edges, Wlll do.

A socket, as 20, s provided to receive: the

tip and enable the same tobe mounted the base of the leg of a chair or other article of furniture. This socket comprises a bottom plate 21provided withla central opening 19 surrounded a downwardly depending annular flange 22, and a sheetmetalstamping.

The stamping comprises oppositely disposed side members 24 integrally connected at their top as 25. These sidemembers preferably snugly fit within the base of the. leg 24 of the chair and are retained therein i'by friction. 7

The socket 20 is particularly intended for use in a chairleg of substantially rectangular cross-section and the plate21 forms acomplete closure for the basethereof. The stamping is preferably disposed diagonally of the plate 21 and the portions of this plate adjacent the V v corners are notched, as at26, to'admit-the substantially V shaped side members'24r. The bottom. edge portions of these members'are folded upon the underface of the plate as at 27. The portions of the members 24directly.

above this plateare preferably bent inwardly substantiallyupon the upper faceof the plate as at 28. This forms a shoulder upon which the base of the chair legrestsr This socket construction prevents any rotation of the bottom plate within the side members and possesses strength and durability. ThetiplO is pressed upwardly intothe opening 19 in the ,plate21 and the flange 22 fits aboutthe I I bowl portion of the tip. The edge'of this flange rests on the rim flange 12 of the tip.

I 22in {the previous embodiment.

tip,'-and a tipsocket snugly fittingwithin the The rim flange of the tip serves to limit inward movement; i. e., positions the tip in the 7' aperture 19 of the baseplate part of the Aside members 32 which are struck up therefrom. The upper-ends of these side mem- "bers abut at33. The plate 31 is provided with a 'central'opening34:;0 receive the tip and this open'ingis surrounded by an'extern'ally projecting annular flange 36 adapted to 'fit about the tip in the same manner as the flange Inthis embodiment,'the side members of the socketextend'from the side edges of the bottom plate. The socket is open at the front and rear except "for inwardly bent flanges 37 which preferablyv contact with the corresponding walls of the-chair leg 38. These walls re spectively rest on the projecting portions 39 and 400i the plate 3liwhen'the socket is inserted in the base of-the leg.

In the embodiment of my invention which 7 I haveselected :to illustrate the principles -thereof, the sockets have 'been shaped to flt a legofrectangular cross-section'but it is ob vious that this shape would be varied "for otheriforms. As soon as a tip becomes'worn, "itflmay be readily removed from the socket and replaced by anew one. Theembedding of the inner end of the fastener in the 'portion of the cushion lying within the shell of the 'tip prevents this fastener from coming in contact with the floor.

I claim as my'invention: I 1. The combination with a hollow leg, ofa

base of said leg, said socket comprising a substantially rectangularbase plate provided Lwith an opening to receive and fit said tip, and an-inverted substantially-U-shaped member disposed diagonally of said plate and having its extremities folded about the corners thereofto connect said plate and said member, the edge portions of said plate ad- 'jacent the corners being notched to receive said extremlties.

'2. "The cOmbinatiOn with'a legfihaving a recess in its "base, of an axially vertical she'll open at its lower end and having at said end an outwardly extend-ingrim flange, atip in saidrshell and projecting downwardly therefrom,'a socket-comprising a base plate proviidedwith an opening to admit and frictional'ly hofld said she'lhfthe part ofsaid plate "surrounding the-opening being supported by teria'hseated in :said 'shell and said rim flange and an inverted U-shaped member having its extremities connected to said plate and adapted to frictionally engage the walls of said recess and retain said socket in position.

3. The combination of a hollow leg, a socket'therein comprising a base plate provided with an aperture, side members secured to saidbase plateand extending upwardlytherefrom and adapted to frictionally engage the inside of the walls of said leg, a

shell seated in saidaperture' and frictionally engaging the edge of the plate around said aperture whereby :the shell is retained in said base plate so as to be removable and replaceable, means for positioning the'shell in saidaperture-and a tip rofrel'atively soft maprojecting downwardly therefrom.

4. Incombination'with a 'leg having a recess in-its base, a socketcomprising abase .plate provided with an opening and having a depending flange surroundi'ngsaid opening, side members secured to said base plate and extending upwardly therefrom and adapted to frictionally engage the-inside of the wallet said legyand-a'tip seated'in the opening in said base plate and comprisingza shell fitting in "said opening and having an outwardly projecting rim flange adapted to be seated against said depending flange on said base plate and a cushionseated-in'said shell and projecting therefrom sufiiciently to normally prevent contact between the lower end of said shell and *the' floor.

5. In combination with a leg having a re cess in its base, a'tip-of relatively soitmaterial'having a rigid, laterally projecting flange intermediate its ends, a socket :com-

prising a base plate provided with-an open ing to admit the part of said tip 'above said flange, the part of said plate surrounding the opening being seated on said flange, and arms extending upwardly from saidbase plate, adapted to frictionally engage the" walls of said recess for holding the socket therein.

6. In combination with a leg having a recess in its base, a socket comprising a base plate provided withan opening, a plurality of arms extending upwardly from said base plate for frictionally'engaging the walls of saidrecess i-orholding the socket'therein, and a tip-seated in the opening-in said base plate and comprising a shell'hav-ing a laterallyout-' wardly projecting rim flange adapted to be seated againsta portion otsaid plate-around said aperture, and a cushion seated in said shell.

7. In a'tip of the-class described, the combination of a substantially-cup shaped shell having a bottom wall, 'the latter-{be'ingprovided with an aperture extending therethrough, a cushion of greiater length than the depth of said shell; disposed-therein with one end seated on the bottom wall of the shell and the other end projecting beyond the outer end of the side wall of said shell and provided with an aperture extending therethrough in alignment with the aperture in said bottom wall, and means for securing the cushion in said shell comprising a rivet having a head seated against the outer face of the bottom wall and a split shank extend ing through the aperture in the shell bottom and spread within the cushion at a point in termediate the ends of the latter, the aperture in said cushion serving to permit the insertion of a tool from the outer end of the cushion for spreading said split shank.

8. In a tip adapted to be seated in a socket, the combination of a substantially cup shaped shell havingintegral side and bottom wall portions, the side wall having a rim flange integraltherewith and extending laterally therefrom for engaging a part of the socket for positioning the shell therein, and said bottom wall being provided with an aperture extending therethrough, a cushion of greater length than the depth of said shell, disposed therein with one end seated on the bottom wall of the shelland the other end projecting beyond the outer end of the side wall of said shell and provided with an aperture extending therethrough in alignment with the aperture in said bottom wall, and means for securing the cushion'in said shell comprising a rivet having a head seated against the outer face of the bottom wall and a split shank extending through the ap-' erture in the shell bottom and spread within the cushion at a point intermediate the ends of the latter, the aperture in said cushion serving to permit the insertion of a tool from the outer end of the cushion for spreading said split shank.

9. In combination, a cushion, tip member,

and means for mounting the cushion memev ber on the end of a leg or the like, said means lncludlng a mountlngmember having a rejuring the floor surface when the cushion is so Worn.

10. In combination, a cushion tip member, and means for mounting the cushion member on the end of a leg or the like, said means including a mounting member having a recess for receiving the cushion, the cushion being of suflicient length to project beyond the outer end of said mounting member when seated in the recess, and said mounting member being provided with a smooth, cornerless,

.port theload of outwardly facing convex external peripheral flange adapted to engage the floor when the pro ecting portion of the cushion is worn ing a cushion, and a mounting member for v mounting the cushion on such leg, said mounting member comprlsing a cup shaped member adapted to'receive the cushion, the oushion being of sufficient length to project beyond the rim of the cup shapedmember for normally engaging the floor or other supporting surface, and'the rim portion of said cup shaped member being bent so as to provide a smooth, cornerless, downwardly facing rim on the cup, said cornerless rimbeing adapted to engage the floor when the projecting portion of the cushion is worn away,thereby to permit the article to which the tip is attached, to be ,slid across the floor without inj uring the same, eventhough the said cushion is so worn awaythat it is ineffective to supmounted.

12. The combination with a tip comprising a cup-shaped member having a laterally outwardly projecting 1 rim flange-and a cushion seatedin said cup, and

9OV the article on which it is a a hollow leg, of,

a socket for mounting said tip on the base;

of said leg, said" socket" comprising; a base plate provided with a central opening toadmit said cup member, an annular flange intesaid plate around said 'central opening and fitting snugly about said cup member, the base of said depending flange engaging said laterally projectingrim flange so as topo sition said tip with respect to said base plate,

and said laterallyprojecting flange being of gral with and depending from the edge of sufficient widthfto project beyond the face of said depending flange so as to faci'litate're lnoval of said tip'from saidbase plate open-j ing, and oppositely disposed side members pro ecting upwardly from the edge portions of said plate and adapted to snugly fit within said leg;

- WILLIAM A. VOLLM ER. 

